Hi. Sorry I've been absent for so long. Even now, I'm not really ready to post, but I'm feeling some serious with drawl symptoms - It's been almost two weeks since my last post. Nothing earth shattering that's been keeping me away - I just don't seem to take the time to do it. I have been visiting your sites though. I have found that now that I have so many more blogs that I check on a regular basis (my Google reader just feeds them to me anytime anyone I've listed posts something new...) that I don't leave comments very much anymore - but know that I'm reading and enjoying the happenings in your lives.

The signal to sign off is now crying and big sister is running in to help - which I expect will make it worse... I do have a "pondering" that I want to flesh out with y'all - but it appears that will need to be either later or tomorrow.

until then -

the check is in the mail...

Ok - there's not really a check in the mail - but my Christmas cards are in the mail! Hip Hip Hooray for me! The photo on the card (the one posted below) isn't perfect (but I still think it's cute), and as I was stuffing envelopes I found a typo in the annual update letter, but it was good enough - and I really wanted to be done with it.

I went back to Primary yesterday for the first time since Caleb was born. I was pretty worn out by the end of church, but I did it and it was great to be "back in the saddle." I sure did miss the kids while I was gone.

Somehow we have lost our digital camera. I'm dying to find it and take some more pictures of Caleb. (preferably with his eyes open...) I'm thinking if I could find the motivation and energy to clean up this messy messy messy house, I'll probably find it... Wish me luck!

Barak Obama - NOT MY VOTE!

I am really quite surprised at how well Obama has been doing in the Primary Elections so far. A while back my husband sent me this photo of Obama, taken at some steak fry gathering in Iowa - and it shows Obama, standing through the singing of the National Anthem, without ever putting his hand over his heart. The link to the Article is http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2007/10/20/obama-no-hand-heart-pledge-either-will-msm-notice

To be candid, I also watched the video of the rendition of the anthem, and I had been there, I may have not had my hand over heart either - my fingers would have been in my ears, but STILL... Obama seemed to enjoy the singing - he was singing along and clapped when it was over so what can I think...
I suppose I should also have a disclaimer here: I am assuming the photo and video are real and accurate - but in today's world, who knows...

For political information and opinions from someone who is much more articulate and much better informed and aware - I highly recommend you check out My "dreamer" friend Candace and her blog.

Suffice it to say, Gov. Mitt Romney has no need to worry that Oprah will sway ME to the Obama camp. I want a President who respects America's flag, America's Anthem (even when very badly sung), and who respects, lives, and defends the values that America once stood for.

WAHOO!!!

Hip Hip hooray - I blew my nose today!!!

This may seem trivial to all of you out there in blogland, but for me, this was a great milestone. I haven't been able to blow my nose with any kind of power since Caleb was born. (who knew that the nose was connected to the stomach??? Anyway, it felt GREAT! (that is one thing I actually like about being sick, or otherwise laid-up; it makes you SO very very grateful for the little things in life that you would otherwise give no thought to - like being grateful to be able to blow your nose.)

Another thing of interest: I got the following in an email from Melissa. I have seen things like it before but I still find it really amazing what our brains are capable of doing:

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?


Lastly, if you are in need of a good laugh, I saw this clip from the Carol Burnett show on Shellie's blog this morning and I really got a chuckle out of it. I don't know how to put the youtube video right on my blog, but you can use this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9T8i4FkNVo - or you can go to little but loud and watch it there.

Have a great day!

I resolve to....

I was thinking about New Years and the whole resolution thing - and I decided to resolve to make NO RESOLUTIONS until February. I figured I should give myself a whole month to make sure I am physically back up to snuff and not trying to go full speed ahead before my body is ready...

Sounds good EH? - I thought so too, until yesterday, when my ever-goal setting husband was busy working on some of his (and some family) resolutions; which then pulled me into the process since I'm the one that is home during the day and will be the main person implementing the goals and plans we set up.

We determined that we aren't really happy with where our son (age 7) is as far as work ethic, money sense, responsibility, etc. The problem with not being happy with where he is, is that WE are the ones who got him to where he is... (more especially ME - I am the one who got him to where he is, which is that he "hates" to work, cleaning his room is always "too hard," he refuses to do any type of work unless a parent is working along side of him (even then this usually equates to the parent doing 90% of the work), he thinks he should get money for any trifle thing he DOES do, every time I turn around he has created another huge mess and left it for me to clean up, he has little to no sense when it come to money matters, etc...)

So - what are we going to try?

1) Give the kids a fixed allowance. This money is not tied to doing chores, but they will now be personally responsible for more financial things. For example, anytime they want a toy or treat at the store - THEIR money, buying presents for friends birthday parties - THEIR money. (Aaron announced, "I'm never going to birthday parties again, I don't want to spend MY money") Anytime the kids don't want to go with me to the store or to run errands, they will have to pay for a babysitter with THEIR money. If they want to get out of doing on of their household chores, they can offer to pay someone else to do it, or pay for an adult to help. (Yesterday Aaron spent his entire allowance ($5) to pay Katrina to clean his room for him because it was "too hard" for him) (Katrina in turn paid me $2 to help her get it done, but she still got a pretty good deal.)

2) TV tickets. We choose to not pay for cable or satellite, and we don't get any tv reception without it, but we do have a tv that we use to watch movies. I admit that during the past year I have let watching get out of control. (I've been just too tired to deal with kids and the boob-tube babysitter has been too easy to refuse) Anyway, now each child has tv tickets that they can turn in to watch tv or play on the computer. They get a max of 2 hours per day (which is still probably to much) and any tickets left unused at the end of the week can be turned in for cash.

3) Each child will still have a few chores that are their responsibility each day to contribute to the good of the family.

That's about it as far as things we decided and implemented yesterday. We'll have to see how things work as we go along, and make adjustments as needed. As for my OWN personal resolutions... I RESOLVE TO MAKE NO (official) RESOLUTIONS UNTIL FEBRUARY!!!

So there!